'Jealous' partner accused of rape and murder

A man accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend fitted a tracking device to her car, checked her emails, broke her phone and laptop in the year before her death, a trial has heard.

Stephen Sexton, of Cherrywood Gardens, in Totton, Hampshire, is standing trial at Portsmouth Crown Court charged with murdering Joanna Derkacz, 37, in December 2023.

Prosecutors said Sexton displayed jealous, controlling and coercive behaviour during what they described as a toxic and abusive relationship.

Sexton, 38, denies murder, rape and controlling or coercive behaviour.

Jurors heard Sexton's behaviour worsened after his welding business failed.

The court heard he became jealous of male friends and colleagues and that his behaviour was exacerbated when he was drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

Nicola Shannon KC, prosecuting, said a dispute in December 2023 marked a turning point in the relationship after Derkacz asked him to move out of the property and the pair began sleeping in separate rooms.

The court heard Sexton had previously broken her laptop, locked her out of the house for returning home late and reported her missing to police when he could not find her.

When two female officers visited the property to carry out a welfare check, body worn camera footage shown to the jurors captured Derkacz describing her boyfriend as "very controlling" and "narcissistic".

"He has this thing where he flips," she said.

She also told officers she did not want to get Sexton in trouble so had not reported his abusive behaviour.

When asked if she had been choked by him she said no - but the prosecution said Derkacz's sister later recalled a phone call in mid-December during which she claimed Sexton had put his hands around her neck and stopped her breathing, before she managed to push him away.

Prosecutors allege Derkacz was murdered during the early hours of 28 December 2023.

The court heard Sexton did not call police or an ambulance after her death and instead twice left the house in an attempt to visit sex workers in Portsmouth.

Jurors heard post-mortem examinations found three broken bones in Derkacz's neck and DNA evidence that she had been sexually assaulted.

The body of Derkacz was found by her sister Arleta at the house in Waterlooville later that morning.

Prosecutors said Arleta Derkacz went to the property after becoming concerned she had not been answering calls.

They said she found Sexton at the top of the stairs and, after pushing past him, discovered her sister's body in a bedroom.

The trial is expected to last eight weeks.